New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-09
ARRESTED FOR INCENDIARISM

HAS WILLIAM PURB BEEN SETTING FIRE TO THE
BUILDING OF 1.-THE NEw-YoRKER ZEITUNG"f
william Purb the young man suspected OF having set
fire to the Nec Yorker Zeitng building at No Frank
fort.st. arrested by the Fire Marshal yesterday
and taken to Police Headquarters Six times during
the past half year the Eec Yorker Zeitung building
has been set fire and in spite Of the exertons Of the
police and the Fire Marshal assisted by the proprietors
OF the paper Mayer Wolfram, the incendares escaped
detection So frequent did these attempts to destroy the
building become that the propretors esorted to every
precauton to keep all but employees from entering any
part OF the building but the countngroom, which Is on
the ground floor The only means of communication
between the countng-room and the composing room,
which is situated the top floor is fight OF stairs in
side the counting room, at the bottom OF which Is
bolted door, The only way in which this door can be
opened is by some behind the counter pulling
wire which to the bolt person coming down the
stairs who desires get through this door is obliged
to ring bell when person behind the counter pulls
back the bolt. In this every person passing
up or down the stairs became known TO the person be-
hind the counter.
The last attempt to set the building fire was made
on Thursday afternoon the unOccupied third floor.
Ten minutes before 1t discovered Purb, Fritz
as he was known in the building. rang the bell and
passed through the door up to the composing roOm
lie eighteen years old, and has been In the employ or
Mayer Wolfram during the last three years as an ap-
prentice in the composngroom IT was noticed that he
present at all six of the tires which have broken out
first 10 give the alarm each time After the fire OF April
II several circumstances discovered which caused
the authorities strongly suspect that Purb was either
the nccndary had some knowledge OF the mysterious
fires In the testimony which he then to the Fire
Marshal he contradcted himself several times and con
Quoted himself in such manner as to impress those
who heard with the idea that lie not telling the
truth.
He had previous to that time been employed at night
but his work then changed so that he was In the
building only during the day Detectives who were en-
pOyed to shadow him ascertaned that he had been
discharged by his former employer jeweler on john
ST. for cause which the detectives will not dvulee
until they testify In court They also learned that his
habits In Brooklyn where he lived with his father were
not the best and that he had been on friendly terms
with william and Townsend Johnson who are now serv-
ing terms in State Prison for setting fire 10 Pamers
coOperage in Brooklyn about two months ago. one or
the clerks in the NelC Yorker Zeirug office made an
affidavit the effect that ne heard Prb, one occa-
sion say They didn't catch this time threw away
all the Matches And one OF the workmen dep0sed that
IN another occasion he Purb light the gas with
whole and then throw the burning paper on
the floor.
The workman demonstrated with him for his careless
ness when he replied: What of it, There plenty or
money in the bank" These, together with other cir
cumsfances which the detectives refuse TO reveal led
Fire Marshal sheldon to believe that Purb - the incen
diary The authorities confident that they nave the
right party and will be able TO secure his conviction